Parowan staff proposes replacing Board of Adjustments with contracted appeal authority

City staff presented a concept to the planning commission on Jan. 15 proposing that Parowan replace its volunteer five‑member Board of Adjustments with a contracted appeal authority — typically a professional planner or land‑use attorney — to hear land‑use appeals and variance requests.

Dan (planning staff/commission member) described the change as a procedural modernization. Under the proposal, the appeal authority would perform the board’s quasi‑judicial role but be a single contracted expert who applies the same legal standards that a Board of Adjustments would now apply. "The state no longer...most planners hear that we have a Board of Adjustments and they're like, oh, that's kind of an old way of doing it. Now they just in all the state code, it just has appeal authority," he said. Staff said the contracted reviewer would still operate under the Open and Public Meetings Act and that decisions could still be appealed to district court.

Proponents told commissioners the change reduces the burden on volunteer board members who report stressful quasi‑judicial proceedings and improves consistency by using professionals familiar with state land‑use precedents. Commissioners asked about appointment and contract terms; staff said the appointment process could remain mayoral with council consent while the day‑to‑day arrangement would be a contract with an expert and that staff will bring back draft ordinance language for future review.

Why this matters: The change would alter who conducts variance and appeal hearings and how those hearings are staffed, while leaving the legal standards for review unchanged. Staff said the change is common among nearby jurisdictions and can make appeals more efficient and consistent.